Machine for verifying perforated record cards



July 18, 1950 A. THOMAS EI.TAL 2,516,033

MACHINE FOR VERIFYING PERFORATED RECORD CARDS Filed March 28, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I nventors ARTHUR THOMAS FREDERICK SDFEY RHODES MAURICE RICHARD BROWN y tlorney July 18, 1950 A. THOMAS ETAL MACHINE FOR VERIFYING PERFORATED RECORD CARDS Filed March 28, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 R 3 on Inventors ARTHUR THOMAS R FREDERICK SIDNEY RHODES MAURICE RICHARD BROWN RBYTHEIR tprney July 18, 1950 A. THOMAS ETAL 2,516,033

MACHINE FOR VERIFYING PERFORATED RECORD CARDS .1 Inventors I ARTHUR THOMAS FREDERICK SIDNEY RHODES MAURICE RICHARD BROWN BY THEIR z a 4 g;

Attorney y 1950 A. THOMAS ETAL 2,516,033

MACHINE FOR VERIFYING PERFORATED RECORD CARDS Filed March 28, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I nvenlors ARTHUR THOMAS FREDERICK SIDNEY RHODES MAURICE RICHARD BROWN BY THEIR L ATMJ fying statistical :record cards.

Patented July 18, 19 50 MACHINE FOR VERIFYING PERFORATED RECORD CARDS i Arthur Thomas, Wallington, Frederick Sidney Rhodes, Thornton Heath, and Maurice Richard Brown, Putney, London, England, assignors to Powers-Samas Accounting Machines Limited, London, England, a British company Application March 28, 1947, serial No. 737,988 In Great Britain April 1, 1946 This invention relates to machines for veri In British Patent Specification No. 430,251 there is described a machine for verifying standard cards in which each character to be recorded is represented by a single hole punched in a particular one of twelve index positions in a column of the card, said machine being capable of indicating not only whether a perforation is incorrectly placed in a card, but also if an erroneous perforation exists in the same column as a correctly placed perforation,

In order toincrease the card capacity, it is customary to divide'the card b an imaginary line longitudinally into upper and lower zones each containinga number of zonal columns equal to the number of full columns in the undivided card, but each of half the length of a full column, and to record data in such zonal columns by punching either one, or two, holes in each 7 Claims. (Cl. 73156) zonal column. in accordance with a pre-determined code. v i i The present invention has for its main object to provide a modification of the form of machine disclosed in Specification No. 430,251'which will be capable of verifying either the upper or the lower zone of such a card atthe willof the operator. r i

To this end according to the present invention a machine for verifying the data perforated in statistical record cards 'of the kind dividedinto upper and lower zonesmay comprise a column of settableelements allocated to each zone, each of said columns containing as many settable telementsas there are index positions'in a zonalc'olumn of the card, a zonal column of sensing pins of its associated zone, and servinggwhen so operated, to set thecorresponding zonal column of settable elements in accordance with the perforations in the sensed zonal column, a group'of actuators allocatedto each zone, one'actuator to each index' position in the corresponding zone and each'actuator-cf' any zoneservingwhenoperated, to actuate-all the sensing pins of the associated zone, anda single group of keys for .op-, erating both groups of actuators, said group'of keysbeing'displaceableas a whole out of '00-." operative relation with one group of actuators and into co-operative relation with the other group and vice versa; each key being depressible;

for operating one or moreactuators'of the group.

in cooperative ;re1at i0n with said group of keys,

and a testing member allocated to each settable element, each operable by the corresponding actuatorto test the position of its respective settable element and give an indication as to whethersaid position is correct. i

Preferably, as in the machine of Specification No. 430,251 the registering elements are integral with the sensing pins, each having a recess to co-operate with the testing members in the manwith reference to the accompanying drawing in which i I Fig.1 is a side view, partlyin section, of verifying mechanism according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan. of Fig. 1, some parts' being omitted for the sake of clarity; i 1

Fig. 3 is a section on the lineIII-III of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of Fig. 2,

some parts being omitted for clarity; i I

Fig. 5 shows 'adetail of the operating mechanism, and

Fig. 6 is an end view looking in the direction of arrow A Fig. 1, some parts being omitted for clarityl Referring to the drawings, th machine comprises aibasell] having a c'ardcarriage H operated step by step on depression of a key l2- by an escapement mechanism similar to that described The. machine is intended for use with cards which are divided longitudinally by animaginary I line intoanupper and a lower zone, each zone having six index point positions in each column thereof.

In order to represent a number, combination punching is used in which the even numbers are 1 represented by a single hole and each odd number is represented by one of said singleholes anda 1 control hole in the same column.

The machine now being described is intended for use for cards punched with sterling amounts, the codeemployed being suchthat five of the holes .in the zonal column represent the; digits 2d, 4d,,6d, 8d and 10d, -while;the, digits 1d, 3d,'5d,. 7d and 9d are represented by the, 2d, 4d, ,6d, 8d,, and 10d ho les respectivelytogether with a .con-

in British Patent Specification No.

trol hole in the sixth position, this control hole by itself representing 11d.

Accordingly, the machine is provided with eleven keys .l3.represen ting the digit id to 11d respectively; the amount zero pence; not being 5 punched in the card.

Across the machine is disposed a full column of sensing pins M, which is divided into two half columns, each containing six pins, thatris to say a number of pins equal to the number of index point positions in each zonal -column of -the, card Each of these two half columns-of sensingpins is carried in a frame I 5, I511 adapted toslidevertica-lly in guides l6 and to which "the pins-l4 are: connected by springs I'I tending to pull them l5' downwardly, the entire frames Ea beingnormally held in uppermost position by springs 18.,

As will be explained later, in the operation of the machine, one of these frames is depressed-to sense one zone of the cardsand the other frame is depressed when it is-requiredqtosensel-theiother zones Accordingly; the following construction;'is-. provided, 11702:: enable either! ryof the pin-carrying frames GtOIEbei actuated ,:from- ,the-single group of= keys l3 which constitutes a'common actuatin meansefor both: of :the pin-carrying frames; 4 5; l5l'11s'. I T'o ;this: end,= there 1 is provided a pivotedactue atingdevercl 9 forze'achwposit-ionin: each-zonal 001- I umnr. that; is to say, theresare six :actuating1levers-;-30 I for-:the upper zone and-six actuating leverskfor the: lowerizonen' I Eachiupper rzonei actuating leven: 1 9 {carries-a; downward -proj action-20 inorm-ally resting; on the propriate two actuating levers in the upper zone. The 11d key slide, like the even-numbered slides, has only two depending lugs, one for operating, the lower zone 11d actuating lever, the

other for soperatingthe uppfi 'zone 11d actuating lever.

- The depending lugs of the key slides operate the respective actuating levers through L-shaped transmission'elements arranged as described be- Each actuating lever is pivoted at 32 to the machine. frame.ancl;;extends across the sensing pin-carrying frame 4 5 for the corresponding zone, its-free;end being; adjacent to the key-carrying *frame 133.". The-actuating levers are thus mounted in, a n1 anne r similar to that of the key levers 10 described in British Patent Specification No. 430,251.

To -the-fr'ee end of each actuating lever I9 is pivoted the upper end of the upwardly extending limbr-34l ofzbnewf the heshaped: transmissionelements above referred to. The bottom of the upwardlyrextendin 11mb of each* L-shaped element is freelyz uidediin acombbar 3'5, and;carries a irollerwiifi qwhichy runs {on a, vertical face- 31 of the comb igbar fifi' andtheaouterends of their later.-

ally extending ;limbs: 38 -;are guided in anothercombgbar 39 A- cross-bar -fifl running along the inside; faces ;of;;all; the-upwardly extending limbs M keeps 'themdnposition; Each L-shaped element being pivoted; at Al tothe-horizontalactu-,

ating lever l9, and being guided by the-roller fi at ;;the bottom-of thegvertical limb; the horizon:

tal limbpmoves; ,upand downs while remaining aptop of the corresponding pin-carrying-frame'so-fifi proximately horizontali thatswhen'zanyroneof: .rth'ese-ssize zones: actuating leversdsw'operated, 1 thev :upper; zone pin-carrying}; harness-"lowered:

similarlyreach lowerlzone actuatingllever car-r ries a downward projection normally restingbngz ld thertop f ,the-rlower zoneepin-carrying: framerso that w'henrany lower zoneactuating leves is; ope eratedrithe; lower-zone pin-carrying-frame is ,de: pressed. 1

It will bezunder'stood thatziow-ing-tonthe code; punching'zreferred .to :above; some of the :keys have to operate two actuating levers; forzexample'thes 3d-keyehas .t0roperate :the. 4d'andu l1d "actuating levers and, further, this same 3d key must aben ableetooactuate veitherithe ldfiand lldsactuati-ng levers :"in'ithe.upper-zoneorethe 4d and, 11d actuating levers in the lower zone at the will ofqthe-ia openatonv Tonthis' 'end,- each-k'ey is attached to alug 2| up.- standing from: aghorizontalslide 22 which is guids-zj ed-at each end :sin:.guides:e28;: 24 for i'freeuverticalu monementsiandhis :lmaintaine'd horizontal during such movement by the following means.

Disposed iadiacentitoeeachnslide 1 22 and: in a plane: parallel: theretosare; two intermeshingr toothed :seg-ments; 25,226 mounted-to rock(about: I fixedimiitotsiflpflli Eachiseglnent extends beyond: its pivot towards one end of the associated slidei 2 2 th ir teeth a oft the. segments intermeshing at. about thieumiddle ofu thei-slide: The extensionslgg, 25as'26a of-ie'achcsegment is connected to thesad i jacentiendi 'of the slide 22 by means of 'a pin- 29 and slot 30 and the arrangement is such that thesebtwbnpin' and tslot connections are in the samerhonizontal. plane.

Eachiofithe keyslides 22' correspondingwto an odd numbe'red key; except the.=11dslide, has 'two 1 depending Jugs 3 I for 2 operating the i appropriate l' two actuatingdevers I9 in th'e lower zone and two filrtl'ier dependlng'lugs'for'operatingtheap- 75 Thewact uating levers r I stare so mounted that 4 their moyements above and below the horizontal areg approximately equal,- and. each L-shaped transmission; elementnis arranged with its later 'ally;extending-.limb .38 horizontal; when the: corresponding actuating lever- -|9- is in--its:upperm ost position to which it is urged by a sprin 42. Ac: cordingly when the;actuating;levers .are in their still ihor izontalv although to;the-middle of the v stroke {of-3 thenactuating :levers some slight departure of the L-shaped elements from the horio takdoes,takeplacerowing to the curved path of ;the. free:ends of :the,actuating :levers to;which ends th'e; tops of the upwardly-,extending limbs of thGiLrShflDGdfilGlIlGIllZS are pivoted.

Thealateral limbs 38 of :these L-shaped transmission-elements extend underneath the aforementioned-(key: slides 22zeach-of which accordingly :extendsacrossrall: said dateral limbs 38; and;

the edependin'grlugs l3 l on the keyeslides operate 1 the; actuating; levers zby edepressingv said; lateral limbsiand thereby pushing-the vertlcallimbs --.34

of the:.-L-shaped transmission elements theleverage'on' thesactuating levers is the same, what-x everl the-position: ofuthe corresponding key slide;v

transmission,elementvwhichroperates the 11d ac- 'For-. examplewthei lateral limb of :the L-shaped tuating lever -(in ;either zone) is acted upon bya depending lug on-each alternate key slide, yet

despite the different distances of said key'slides from the said lld actuating lever the force applied: to said lever is" the-same for-all said keyslidess- Also during the downward movement of .a key slide-'22?the meshing'segments 25,- 26 maintain theoutside ends-of the slide in'thesame horizon tal plane so that the slide descends horizontally whatever the relative positions, along the slide, of the key through which force is imparted to the slide and the depending lug by which force from the slide is imparted to the keylever.

The frame 33 carrying the keyslides and keys is displaceable across the machine by half the pitch of the lateral limbs of the L-shaped elemerits and when the frame'is in position for operating the lower zone actuating levers each lower zone depending lug is disposed over the lateral limb of the L-shaped element connected to the lower zone actuating lever which it has to operate, each upper zone lug, however, being disposed over the space between two adjacent lateral limbs, so that it is inefiective.

When the frame is displaced into the position for operating the upper zone actuating levers, each upperzone depending lug is disposed over the lateral limb of the L-shaped element connected to the upper zone actuating lever which it has to operate, whileeach lower zone lug is over a space between two lateral limbs and is therefore ineffective. i

From the foregoing itwill be seen that when the frame 33 carrying the key slides 22 is in the lower zone position in which only the lower zone levers I9 are operated, depression of any key [3 depresses the frame i511 carrying the sensing pins l4 for the lower zone only, the upper zonesensing pin frame I5 remaining ineffective So that the upper zone is not sensed.

The upper portion of each sensing pin is in the form of a flat bar 43 having a recess 44 in the edge facing the keys.

Pivoted at 45 to the machine frame below'the actuating levers I9 is an angle plate 46. This angle plate 46 is pivoted to the frame so that when it is rocked about its pivot 45 the upstanding part thereof swings forwardly towards the sensing pins i4. At the top of the upstanding part is pivoted a number'of testingpinsdi, one for each sensing pin E4, the free ends of said testing pins 41 being disposed normally opposite the re cesses 44 in the respective registering elements constituted by the fiat upper parts 43 of the sonsing pins 14.

The angle member 46 and the testing pins 4'! correspond respectively to the members .17 and 19 described in British Patent Specification No. 430,251 and operate in a similar manner.

The testing pins 4'! are sprung downwardly and are normally held up by the forked members 48 depending from the actuating l'evers'l 9 in which forked members the testing pins rest near their free ends. I Als'o depending from each actuating lever is a lug 49 adapted to engage with the horizontalpart' of the angle plate 46 and rock the latter to move its horizontal portion downwardly, thereby bring ing all the testing pins41 forwards.

Thus, with the key-carrying frame the low- I or zone position, depression of any given key will tend to move all the sensing" pins of the lower zone downwardly and will also tend to permit the corresponding testing pin. or pins to movedown wardly also, by reason of the downward movement of the correspondingiforked' member; and

in addition will tend tofrock the angle plate to move all the testing pins forwardly. I

In using the machine acard is inserted in the carriage ii and the key' carrying fram'ef33 is set into the upper or thelower zone position according to whether it is desired' to verifythefperfora tions in the upperor low'er zone of the'car'd; The

present then the corresponding zone pin frame l5, [5a will move down but all the pins I4 therein except that corresponding to the perforation will be held up, while the pin corresponding to the perforation will go down through the card. The depression of the key It permits the corresponding testing pin 41 to move downwardly and the depending lug 49 of the actuating lever [9 will rock the angle plate 48 thereby moving all the testing pins 41 forwardly.

All those testing pins corresponding to the sensing pins which have been held up will also have remained up since their keys have not been depressed. Also, the testing pin corresponding to the sensing pin which has moved down will also have moved down since its key has been depressed.

Thus, the ends of the testing pins 41 will all remain opposite the recesses 44 in the corresponding registering elements constituted by the fiat upper parts 43 of the sensing pins and all the testing pins 41 will be able to move forward into these recesses, so that the key i3 can be depressed to its fullest extent, thereby rocking the angle plate 46 to its maximum extent.

When the angle plate 46 is thus rocked to its fullest extent it operates the escapement mechanism in the manner explained below to advance the card carriage one column pitch, to present the next column for sensing.

If the hole which should be present has been omitted or is in another position, then the sensing pin corresponding to the key which has been depressed will remain up and the corresponding testing pin will be obstructed by engaging the edge of the registering element below the recess, thereby preventing the angle plate from being rocked sufficiently to operate the escapement.

Also, if there is another hole in the half-column in addition to the correct hole, the pin corresponding to this erroneous hole will have moved down,

After the lower zone has been completely verified the key-carrying frame is moved over into the upper zone position and verification of the upper zone holes is carried out in the manner described above for the lower zone holes. During this operation the lower zone sensing pin frame remains stationary, only the upper zone pin frame being operated.

The escapement mechanism is operated from the angle plate 45 in the manner described in Specification No. 430,251 and a space key I2 is provided for actuating the escapement mechanism where there is a blank space in any half column. Since in the cards on which the present machine is intended to operate, each zonal column is only half a full card column, there may be'a1hole in a half column in one zone, while the blanks. Acoordinelmwhen movinszthegkeye arry a spade lever Earls provided for each ;of; the two. pinacarrying; frames ll 5; l 501;, the action;- of ,each ofnthese. levers being similar to that, ;of; the space; key lever in,Speoification-No. 430,251. 7

Pivoted on; a-:. transverse shaft -5l risen, arm,- 52 which-y over-lies another lever: 53 actuated by; the spaoe -key, and hereinafter i'referred to as.-the spade they .levemqso that when the spa-oe.- key; i2- is depressed thearm- 52- is rocked; Thisarm has an extension 54 on the other-sideof theshaft which isconneetedby-a linklifi to the spacezlever Steel? one none, Thepther space-lever Bikis. connectedbgna linkytd-to an arm 57 fixed to the transverse .shaft I 5 t, said transverse, shaft halso haying fixed theretoran armr58 cxtending, along-, sido theqarmmlready 1'6fell'd;t0."-

When the key-carrying frame 33 is intone, position vthespacer key;--le,ver,53 extends under thearm;5Z,-,vvhich-..is 'pivoted .on. theIshaf t .5 I .,-so I that depression of .;the :space key l 2 actuates said I pivoted-arm. to,oper-ate= -the space lever-;5fi..corresponding to r the {zone I for. WlliCh the key-carrying frame sett When thetkeyscarrying irame is moved-over: intodtsother position, then; the space key lever 53 moves cleamotthe-armfi pivotedion the shaft 5t and under thearm 58 which is-fixed totheeshaft thereby depression of thespace key I 2 l;act uates-; =the space 1ever- I corresponding I to the other zone- In order to operate the ;key carrying frame33 with a safetyaction, the following mechanismis provided;

Mounted in the-machineirame transversely of the1key -carrying1frame 33 and. adjacent thereto is -a :slidettavhich is urged towards 0ne.side of tho;;machine (e. g. ,tothe right) by a spring 6G.- Pivoted ona fixed bracket 16! adjacent this slide; 59 and in aplane parallelqtheretois a substantially; vertical. lever. 8Z/which extends above and below-its-pivot Stand has a slot 64 inits upwardly extending-portionand-alsoa slot 65 in its-downwardly extendingportion.

The slot in; the downwardly extending portion engagesva pintbion the key-carrying frame 33, and a pin 51 on a pivoted operating-lever68 engages in: the-slot- Blin the upwardly; directed portion:

The pivot- 63 for. theslotted lever 62 is located on the longitudinalaxis of the spring urged slide 5939116,".S2Lid slotted lever I B32 is connected by a; short linkrfisto saidslide at a point on the longitudinal; axis thereof When the key-carrying frame 33 is in its left-- hand "position; the(slotted 1ever '62 is at the end of its clockw'ise movement and-the short link 69.:isover-,toonesideof its dead centre position. If ,fIlOW; by;-means 0fthe operating lever 68, the slottedilever B2 ismoved counterclockwise, it does not'at first move the key-carrying frame 33-he- I cause th e. slot in the. downwardly; extending I part of said slotted lever is wide enough'to permit, lost motion-.

As the slotted lever 62 is thus rocked the shortlink 69 swings into .its dead centre position there.-. by: pushing theslide 59 to the left and extending thespring 80 .attachedthereto... Furtherrocking-. of the. slotted lever 62then brings the short link 69.--beyond. its deadcentre whereupon the spring 60 pulls the slide 59 back, towards the. right. Sincethe short link 59 is now. on the opposite, side .of; {its dead centre. from that. on which,

still: further counterclockwise ,thereby complet in-the downwardly extending portion of the rockingdeverds of awidth; such that the lost motionp therein; is not..fully;.taken;up until aftertheshort link:.;69:has;passed its dead centre position, so that. 10.

movement of the slottedleven-one side of the slot isengaging the'pinnon the key-carrying frame, wherebyyduring; thefinal part ,of the counter clockwise-movementof said slotted lever the keycarrying frame; is moved; transversely into its other position under the-action; of the spring act-.

ing on the slotted lever through the aforementioned slide and; short link..

The operation intheroppositedirection is similar,- anditwill be noted that in botl'indirections of movement the manually initiatedmovement of the slotted lever- B2 iscompleted bythe action:- of the spring -60-pull ing .on the-slide '59, although,

said spring always pulls in the same direction.

The operatingdever 68 is.connected with a handle lfl pivotedata'll to:a..bracket.,12 mounted on the. machine. frameandlocating marks 13, 13a. are provided on the cover of the. key-carrying. frame 33 Lto.,align with, .onepr other of the fixed -;index positions Upper andrLowermarked on the machine, frame"? An inking device may be provided for marking,

the :cards, column .by column ,aseach. column is .i have been verified.

The inking,.device. comprises an ink ,container 14 ,secured to the, cover. for. the..key carrying. frame 33 ,so ,as. to ,be movable therewith. From thecontainer 'Mltwo coil-spring covered. wicks 15, :extend and .havetheinfree endsclamped in a,

bracket J6,securedrespectively to the pin carry ing. frames-. |5,, [5a,fonmovement therewith. As

shownin the drawings, thelower ends of the wick are disposedtomark acardtoindicate a column verifiedn'ext before the one being verified by the downward. movement .of. .thel pinrcarrying .frame but it will be appreciated that, if desired,.the location. ,of ,the free. ends ,of.,th.e wick may be so arranged that ,each,,column.is ink-marked at the time when itisyerified.

1.. A machine for verifying the data perforated in statistical record cards of the kind divided into upper, and lower zQnes,.eaQhl containing a number 'umns in the undivided card but each of half the. length. of. .a .fu1l.,co1um.n. and .wherein data. is rer e in.. ny,.z0na1 columnby, punchin either one ,ortwoh'oles therein, said. machine compris- ,i s.. tfl l mnfif ettablej ,elements allocated to each Zone, each,of, said. columns containing as able to senseacolumnsof its associated zone, and

serving when.so operated, to set the correspond:

ing. zonal. column of settable elementsin accordance with the ,perforations inthe sensed-. zonal.v

columns, a groupv otactuators allocatedlto each zone, oneractuatonallocated toeach index posietion ,in ,the corresponding. zone and each actu,.-

atop-of anyzone serving, when operated, to-ac.tu-.

76 ateall thesensing pins .of the associated zone.

;ing its movement in that direction. The slot1651- during the completion of the I counterclockwiseand a single group of keys for operating both groups of actuators, said group of keys being displaceable as a whole out of co-operative relation with one group of actuators and into co-operative relation with the other group and vice versa, each key being depressible for operating one or more actuators of the group in cooperative relation with said group of keys and a testing member allocated to each settable element, each operable by the corresponding actuator to test the position of its respective settable element and give an indication as to whether said position is correct.

2. A Verifying machine according to claim 1 wherein each actuator is in the form of a pivoted lever having hingedly depending from its free end an L-shaped transmission element guided for substantially vertical bodily movement, and each key serves to depress an associated one of a group of slides disposed in a keycarrying frame and transversely of the laterally extending limbs of said transmission elements, each of said slides carrying one or two depending lugs to engage the lateral limbs of the transmission element or elements hinged to the appropriate actuator or actuators of one group, and also a corresponding number of depending lugs for engaging the lateral limbs of the transmission element or elements hinged to the appropriate actuator or actuators of the other group, the first mentioned lug or lugs being spaced along the slide in relation to the second mentioned lug or lugs in such a way as to be in register with the transmission element or elements when the second mentioned lug or lugs is or are out of register therewith and Vice versa.

3. A verifying machine according to claim 2, wherein each slide is guided for vertical sliding movement and during such movement has its guided edges maintained in substantially parallel relation with the guides by pivoted intermeshing toothed segments having pins engaging in slots formed at opposite ends of the slide and located in the same horizontal plane.

4. A verifying machine according to claim 1, wherein the group of keys is mounted in a displaceable key-carrying frame movable from one operative position to the other by a manually operable handle connected with the frame through an operating link, a pivoted slotted lever, a spring controlled slide, and a short link connecting the lever and slide, whereby the initial operating engagement of said parts is effected by said handle but the resulting movement of the key-carrying frame is effected by the spring controlling said slide.

5. A verifying machine according to claim 1, wherein a space key is provided, said space key being arranged to actuate either of the zonal columns of sensing pins according as to which column is in operative connection with the group of keys and to move the testing members towards the pins, but not to depress said testing members, whereby if the space key is depressed and a pin or pins of the column is or are not impeded the corresponding testing member will be unable to move, thereby indicating an error.

6. A verifying machine according to claim 5 wherein two space levers, one for each zonal column of sensing pins, are connected with the space key through the medium of a space key lever which is movable relatively to the space levers and, according to the position of the group of keys, is aligned with one or other of the space levers.

7. A verifying machine according to claim 1, wherein a marking device movable with each of the zonal columns of sensing pins is arranged to engage a card at each operation of its associated zonal column of sensing pins.

ARTHUR THOMAS. FREDERICK SIDNEY RHODES. MAURICE RICHARD BROWN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

